


Living Hopes and Winter Souls

by BakerStTardis (Sokashi)



Series: Hobbit Advent [12]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-12
Updated: 2013-12-12
Packaged: 2018-01-04 11:43:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1080613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokashi/pseuds/BakerStTardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hobbit Advent Day 12. Prompt candlelight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Living Hopes and Winter Souls

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a part one.

"It's today, isn't it?" Frodo asked, popping up beside him as Bilbo set his bags on the table.

Bilbo smiled, but kept his voice level, almost bored, as he answered. "Yes. It's tonight. Did you do all your chores?" He could FEEL the eye roll Frodo gave him as he swung around the table. 

"Uh, huh. Aaaand, I picked up my room and swept snow from the door!" The boy crowed.

Bilbo turned a suspicious eye to his nephew. "Right. So what did you break?"

Frodo giggled, half hiding behind the table. "Nothing!"

Bilbo grunted in disbelief but grinned. "Help me put things away and we'll do it after dinner. As is traditional."

The two hobbits puttered about the kitchen in companionable cheer. Frodo was turning into a decent cook when he didn't throw food everywhere. Luckily Bilbo had grown rather used to food flying about to be too annoyed by it all. It grew dark outside fast and Bilbo made disapproving noises over the snow clouds gathering, but they honestly had nowhere to go for a couple of days. The pantries were full and firewood was stacked tall in the back. There's no reason at all that he and Frodo couldn't spend the next two days cuddled down reading books and eating to their hearts content and there wasn't much in Bilbo's life that sounded better than that.

"You go wash up." Bilbo said. "Change your shirt. We'll eat in a few minutes." Frodo ran off obediently and Bilbo smiled after him, unbuttoning his own splattered shirt to take his own advice, when there was a knock on the door. Bilbo paused, thinking he'd misheard. Had Frodo knocked something over? The knock came again, louder this time. Bilbo quickly ran to grab his clean shirt and shrugged it on. "Coming! I'm coming!" He called out and rushed down the hall. 

"Who is it?" Frodo appeared half naked and curls a mess, food still staining his skin. 

"I don't know yet. Now go! Get cleaned up! You don't want to look a mess for guests!" He didn't say how odd it was to have guests. No hobbits should be out that night unless there was an emergency. It could be Gandalf, but it was unlikely as the last time he'd visited he'd told Bilbo he was going far to the south and wouldn't be back before spring. The knocks came again, heavy and loud. "Hold on! I'm here!"

Bilbo got his last button done and hoped whoever was behind the door wouldn't mind his untucked shirt too much since they were so impatient as he swung the door open. He froze, squinting in the dark and falling snow as the half familiar figure shook itself, tugging his hood back. Bilbo gaped, heart stopped as he floundered. "F-Fili?" He choked out in shock.

"And Kili!" Kili yelled as he came running up. He was covered in snow and hair flying in the wind, hood hanging useless behind him. "We've tucked our ponies away in your lean to. Is that all right?" 

"Yes. Yes. Of course." Bilbo answered immediately, still staring as the two brothers grinned at him.

They shared a look before Fili raised a blonde brow. "Can we come in?"

"Yes! Of course!" The question knocked Bilbo out of his shock and he backed out of the way. The sight of the two dwarves walking into his home again left him speechless, mind whirling. In true dwarf fashion they trumped snow and mud in his door and swung their cloaks off in a flurry of droplets, chattering as they at least hung them this time instead of throwing them in Bilbo's arms. 

"Look at you, Bilbo!" Kili exclaimed, turning to him. "You haven't changed a bit!" He swooped the hobbit into a huge hug as Fili laughed and shut the door.

"Give him a minute, brother. I think we've shocked our poor burglar again."

"Burglar!" Bilbo squeaked and shoved away. "I'm no burglar! Don't you two start that nonsense again!" 

The brothers laughed and that, there, the sight of then standing beside one another laughing together. That made Bilbo's brain kick back into gear and he threw himself at them both. "Fili! Kili! It's so good to see you!"

They hugged him back, tight, and Bilbo closed his eyes, savoring the feeling. This. He'd missed this so much. He'd tried to ignore it, but it was always there. His dwarves. Oh, how he missed his dwarves. As disgusting and obnoxious as they could be.

"Bilbo?" Frodo asked cautiously from behind them.

Bilbo pulled back, blinking quickly so he wouldn't cry and grinned at his nephew. "Frodo!" He went to the boy's side and took the hand Frodo slipped into his. "Frodo, these are my friends Fili and Kili."

The two dwarves grinned and bowed. "At your service." They chimed together. 

It made Frodo giggle and he half hid behind Bilbo's leg. Kili crouched down and made faces at him. "Bilbo! You had a baby!" He exclaimed.

Bilbo looked from him to Fili who just looked amused and shrugged at his brother's antics.

"I didn't have a baby, he's my nephew and if you don't know where babies come from by your age, Kili, you have worse problems than I thought."

Kili just shrugged, grinning, and inched closer to Frodo. "We don't have a lot of children. Not a lot of women, you see." Frodo ducked behind Bilbo, giggling, and Kili made a frustrated noise. "Are they all this shy?"

Bilbo rolled his eyes, one hand still grasped by Frodo's. "He's not shy. Trust me." He eyed the two dwarves, seeing now that they were both travel worn and exhausted, despite their cheer. What he wanted to do was demand to know why they were there. Why then. Why no one had written or visited before. Both dwarves looked at him, their eyes serious despite their grins. Whatever it was had to wait until Frodo was abed and he hoped the two princes were quick enough to realise that. "We were just sitting down to dinner. Join us." 

"Yes!" Frodo exclaimed, barreling out from behind Bilbo. "I'll set their places!" He ran from the room leaving the adults chuckling. Kili rose to his feet and clapped Bilbo on the shoulder.

"We're glad to see you again, Bilbo, but we didn't just come for ourselves-" behind him, Fili was reaching into his coat but Bilbo held up a hand. 

"It will wait." He said, his voice firm. They looked like they wanted to protest but Bilbo shook his head. "It's waited this long, it can wait one night. You're here for a hobbit holiday and I ask you to join us."

The brothers looked startled then abashed and nodded solemnly. "Of course. We're sorry we interrupted." Fili said frowning a little. "We can find an inn."

"No!" Bilbo exclaimed a little louder than he intended. He blushed and took a breath. "I mean, no. You are...family." He admitted. "And tonight is a special night. Now lets eat before Frodo starts without us."

The table was laid out with special care. A tablecloth ran its length and the best cutlery was laid out with exacting precision. Frodo was placing a plate carefully, tongue sticking out between his teeth in concentration. Grinning, Kili and Fili started forward but Bilbo put a hand out to stop them. "Just, no throwing the plates tonight." They grinned but nodded and Frodo ran forward to grab their hands. 

"You sit here. Next to me." Frodo said pushing Kili to a seat. "And you across." He directed Fili.

"See?" Bilbo said taking his seat. "Not shy." He pointed out.

Frodo made an annoyed noise and shot Bilbo a look before focusing on their guests. "You are Uncle's dwarves." He said as he scooted into his chair. "He tells me all kinds of stories about you."

"Does he?"Kili asked with a mischievous smirk. "We could tell you some stories, too, you know. About Bilbo."

"Oh, no." Bilbo said, laughing as they started serving food. "Frodo don't listen to a word they say. Story tellers, the both of them."

 

They lingered over their meal, telling stories and making Frodo laugh. Outside the snow fell in the quiet until Frodo looked at Bilbo, serious and excited. "Now, Bilbo?"

Bilbo sat back and took a deep breath. "Yes, Frodo. It's time." He stood and motioned the dwarves to follow him into the main room. "I'll get the things. Why don't you explain to Fili and Kili what's going on?"

Frodo nodded seriously and urged them to sit on the low couch in the room. "Tonight is special." He said. "It's the Night of Hopes and Souls. It falls in Yule every year, halfway between all the big parties." Bilbo reappeared with armload of things and Frodo moved to help him. "You can join in, if you like."

"Oh, we don't have to." Kili said uncertainly, glancing at Bilbo.

"No. Join us." Bilbo said. "It's supposed to be done with family." Frodo was setting little plant pots on the table.

"They don't all match, but its okay." Frodo told them seriously.

Bilbo chuckled and offered up some dirt. "So this tradition is for rememberance." Bilbo told them. "We plant Winter Souls for those we've lost." At the dwarves curious looks he offered a handful of silvery looking seeds. "They bloom for one day. A life for a memory." Frodo was very seriously putting dirt in his pot, making little holes for two seeds. All humor was gone from his face and with utmost seriousness he took two seeds and planted them carefully. Fili and Kili looked sad as they watched him and took some dirt each, watching for what to do. Bilbo planted more than his nephew, of course. In his life he'd lost several bits of family to old age, he'd also lost his parents, of course, and then there were two for Frodo's parents, the pain still a little sharp.

"You can talk about them, if you want." Frodo said, his voice sounding a little thick, as if he wanted to cry. "Mine are my parents. I miss them." He patted the soil over the seeds but leaned into Bilbo's side.

"I miss them, too." He said hugging the child. "And my parents, although the pain of their loss is not as fresh." He looked up to find Fili and Kili staring at them, eyes shining like they would cry. 

Fili blinked and reached for the seeds but only took one. "Our father." He said, placing the seed in a pot. Kili followed suit, nodding seriously. "We don't remember much about him."

Frodo reached over and patted their hands gently. "Here. Cover them up like this. Then we water them a bit." Bilbo smiled as he watched his nephew. Satisfied, Frodo drew back and dusted his hands off. "There. Now tomorrow they'll bloom and now we do the candles."

Bilbo stood to turn off the various lamps and dropping the room into darkness except for the fire in the grate. Frodo set candles out between all the pots. "And now we light candles for hopes." He said a little more cheerfully. Bilbo took a bit of fire from the fireplace and passed it around.

"I, for one, hope for good health for all my family." He said lighting a candle. The hobbit caught Fili and Kili's eyes when he said it.

"I hope Fili and Kili stay and visit for a nice long while!" Frodo said diving forward. 

Fili took a candle. "I wish for forgiveness and open hearts." He said seriously, ignoring Frodo's curious look and Bilbo's pointed scowl. 

Kili looked between them all and lit his. "I hope for clear roads and an early spring." He got a more suspicious look than a glare from Bilbo but ignored it too.

They went around like that a few times until the room was filled with candlelight and they all sat in it in companionable silence. "I think its time, now, for bed." Bilbo told Frodo who was cuddled in his arms.

"Okay." Frodo yawned. He sat up but looked at Kili and Fili worriedly. "You'll be here in the morning?" He asked.

Fili nodded seriously. "We promise."

Frodo smiled and kissed Bilbo's cheek goodnight before wandering down the hall. They listened to him fall into bed and Kili laughed a little. "I don't think he lasted long enough to change into his night things."

"He often doesn't." Bilbo said, his voice low as he took a seat near his two friends. "My guest room is made up. The one just down the hall. You're welcome to it." He caught there eyes. "So tell me why you're here."

"To see you." Kili answered. "We've wanted to for a long time now, but Erebor-" he shook his head.

Fili took a breath. "We should talk tomorrow. There's much to say." He said, standing. 

Bilbo nodded. "Of course. You've traveled far." 

Fili stopped in front of him and drew a letter out of his coat. "I do have a promise to keep, though." He handed it over. Heavy paper with a dark blue seal. Bilbo didn't even need to look at the handwriting to know who it was from.

"This if the forgiveness and open heart bit, isn't it?" Fili smiled slightly and Kili hugged him tight.

"You'll do the right thing, Bilbo. You always do."


End file.
